Question
How much do ARVs cost privately in South Africa?
1 May 2012. Related: Access to treatment, All topics, Southern Africa.
Answer
Hi
Drug pricing for HIV meds is complex. It varies depending whether a country is rich or poor because global agreements and treatment programmes recognise that richer countries are able to pay more for basic medicine.
It also related to how serious a health problem in terms of numbers of people who are HIV positive in that country. So although South Africa is a rich country, because HIV affects such a large percentage of the population, it can use generic HIV meds, which are also substantially cheaper.
The cost for ARVs in private are on this web page from the Treatment Action Campaign.
Hi Dube, this doesn’t sound good. I am sorry this happened. HIV meds should be free for everyone at a public clinic. Is there a way you can complain to the clinic?
Please see info about this at this earlier Q&A:
https://i-base.info/qa/26238
Sending an email to GroundUp in confidence to discuss this might also help:
info@groundup.org.za
I was chesed away from Sydney clinic in Durban, they said l must get transferee to pharmacy so that l pay for my Arvs so l want to know how much
Hello Nomsa and thanks for getting in touch.
I am very sorry you are having difficulty getting your medication.
Please try to go to any clinic that is near you at the moment.
They should be able to provide you with medication and they should be able to ask your old clinic for a transfer letter.
As far as I know, people in Africa can get ARVs in all government clinics for free.
Please try to contact these community organisations if you have problems:
Treatment Action Campaign (TAC) http://www.tac.org.za
CHANGE: https://pepfarwatch.org/pepfar-funding-freeze/
I am a south African, I am away from home for work. I need to get my arvs. They say I need a transfer to get my medicine and I am waiting to get paid end of the month. I have run out of my medicine